The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-05-16
WHAT OF THE MIGHTY"
REV. TALMAGE OUTLINES THE
DUTY OF THE MORAL TEACHER.

Called Christian Work Not Practical
The Sympathetic, Kind and GEN
erous Word Brings Back Ten Thous-
and Echoes From Heaven.
BROOKLYN, May 15.-At the Tabernacle
this morning, there were the same great
throngs of people as usual, overfowing the
main audience room into the corridors, and
from the corridors into the street. This, the
largest church in America, is more and more
inadequate to hold the people, as the years
go by. All parts of the earth are repre-
sented at every service. The pastor, the
Rev. 7. Dewitt Talmage, D. D., took for
his text this morning; 'Watchman, what
of the night" Isaiah xxi, .. He said:
When night came down on Babylon, Nine
veh and Jerusalem, they needed careful
watching, otherwise the incendialys torch
might have been thrust into the very heart
of the metropolitan splendor; or enemies,
marching from the hills, might have forced
the gates All night long, on top of the wall
and in front of the gates, might be heard
| the measured step of the watchman on his
solitary beat; silence hung in air, save as
! some passer-by raised the question: eva
man, what of the night"
| 1t is to me deeply suggestive and solemn
thing to see man standing guard by night
! 1t thrilled through me, as at the gate of an
arsenel in Charleston, the question once
smote me: "Who comes therem followed
! by the sharp command: advance and
| give the countersign.n Every moral teacher
stands on picket or patrols the wall as
watchman. His work is to sound the alarm,
and whether it be in the first watch, in the
second watch, in the third watch, or in the
fourth watch to be vigilant until the day.
| re Of
ing cloud across the arching trellis of the
The ancients divided their nights into
four parts-the first watch from to Q; the
second, from to 12; the third, from IL to 3;
the fourth, from 3 to o.
speak now of the city in the third watch,
or from II to 3 o'clock.
IDever weary of looking upon the life and
! brilliancy of the city in the first watch.
| That is the hour when the stores are closing.
! The labOring men, having quilted the scat
| folding and the shop, are on their way
home. 1t rejoices me to give them my seat
| in the city car. They have stood and ham,
mered away all day. Their feet are weary.
| They are exhausted with the tug of work.
| They are mostly cheerful. With appetites
sharpened on the swift turner's wheel and
the carpenters milestone, they seek the
evening meal. The clerks, too, have broken
away from the counter, and with, brain
weary of the long line of figures, and the
whims of those who go a-shopping seek the
| face of mother, or wife and child The mer-
/ chants are embarrassing themselves from
| their anXieties, on their way up the street.
! The boys that lock up are heaving away at
the shutters, showing the heavy bolts, and
taking last look at the fire to see that all
is safe. The streets are thronged with young
men, setting out from the great centres of
| bargain-makng.
| Let idlers clear the street. and give right
| of way to the besweated artisans and mer-
chantsl They have earned their bread, and
are now on their way home to get it.
The lights in full jet nang over ten thou
sand evening repasts-the parents at either
end of the table, the children between.
| Thank God, "who setteth the solitary in
| families
A few hours later, and all the places of
amusement, good and bad, are in full tide.
Lovers of art, catalogue in hand, stroll
through the galleries and discuss the pic
lures. The ballroom is resplendent with
the rich apparel Of those who on either side
of the white, glistening boards, await the
signal from the orchestra. The footlights
of the theatre flash up; the bell rings, and
| the curtain rises; and out from the gorgeous
scenery glide the actors, greeted with the
| vociferation of the expectant multitudes.
| Concert halls are lifted into enchantment
! with the warble of one songstress, or
swept out on a seq of tumultuous
feeling by the blast of brazen in;
| struments Drawing-roomS are filled
with all gracefulness of apparel, with
all sweetness of sound, with ali splendor of
manner; mirrors are catching up and null
| tiplying the scene, until it seems as If in in
| finite corridors there were garlanded groups
advancing and retreating
The outdoor air rings with laughter, and
with the moving to and fro of thousands on
| the great promenades. The dashing span
adrip with the foam of the long country
| ride, rushes past as you halt at the curb
| stone.
! Mirth, revelry, beauty, fashion, magnif-
cence mingle in the great metropolitan pic
| tulre, until the thinking man goes home to
| think more seriously, and the praying man
| to pray more earnestly.
A beautiful and Overwhelming thing is
the city in the first and second watches of
! the night.
But the clock strikes twelve, and the third
watch has begun.
The thunder Of the city has rolled out of
| the air. The slightest sounds cut the night
with such distinctness as to attract your at
tention. The tinkling Of the bell of the
street car in the distance, and the baying of
the dog. The stamp of horse in the next
street. The slamming of a saloon door.
! of the steam whistle five miles away. o,
how suggestive, my friends, the third
watch Of the night.
There are honest men passing up and
| down the street Here is city missionary
who has been carrying a scuttle of coal to
that poor family in that dark place. Here
is an undertaken going up the steps of a
! building from which there comes bitter
cry which indicates that the destroying
angel has slnitten the first-born. Here is q
minister OF religion who has been giving the
sacrament TO dying Christian. Here is a
| physician passing along in great haste, the
messenger few steps ahead hurrying on
TO the household.
Nearly all the lights have gone out in the
| dwellings, for il is the third watch of the
night That light in the window is the
| light OF the watcher, for the medicines must
| he administered, and the fever must be
watched. and the restless tossing off of the
coverlid must be resisted and the ice must
be kept on the hot temples, and the per-
petual prayer must go up from hearts soon
! TO be broken.
o, tine third watch Of the night What a
stupendous thought--a whole city at rest
Weary arm preparing for to-norrow's
toll. Hot brain being cooled Off. Rigid
muscles relaxed. Excited nerves soothed.
| The white hair of the octogenaTian in thin
drifts across the pillow, fresh fall of fakes
on snow already fallen. Childhood with It's
| dimpled hands thrown out on the pillow
and with every breath taking In q new store
! of ftiu and frDlic Third watch of the night